Empire Magazine's 50 Greatest Sequels
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- DirectorJames CameronStarsSigourney WeaverMichael BiehnCarrie HennDecades after surviving the Nostromo incident, Ellen Ripley is sent out to re-establish contact with a terraforming colony but finds herself battling the Alien Queen and her offspring."Why is it so good?: Cameron's genius here lies in manipulating the tension, beautifully structuring the switches from build-up, to carnage, to unbearable waiting, to action The Colonial Marines who accompany an understandably reluctant Ellen Ripley are each fleshed out as individuals, and the plot brilliantly conceived to showcase every character and then kill most of them off horribly. Why does it beat The Godfather Part II? Because that doesn't have a single acid-veined xenomorph in it, that's why!"
How does it stack up to the original?: Entirely changing genre, from haunted-house-in-space to balls-to-the-wall action, proved the masterstroke here. This is a defiantly different film, one that's as good as (or arguably, better than) Ridley Scott's original, but not directly comparable because it remains true to the spirit of its predecessor without ever threatening to retread its steps.
How does it stack up to the original?: Entirely changing genre, from haunted-house-in-space to balls-to-the-wall action, proved the masterstroke here. This is a defiantly different film, one that's as good as (or arguably, better than) Ridley Scott's original, but not directly comparable because it remains true to the spirit of its predecessor without ever threatening to retread its steps.
Glaring error: The Special Edition adds two brilliant scenes - the sequence about Ripley's daughter and the Sentry Guns - but also includes far too much tension-deflating filler with the early Newt stuff and an unnecessary hamster. - DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsAl PacinoRobert De NiroRobert DuvallThe early life and career of Vito Corleone in 1920s New York City is portrayed, while his son, Michael, expands and tightens his grip on the family crime syndicate.Why's it so good?: Although we've hopefully given you a whole lot more, this is THE trump card to pull out when having a heated pub debate about great sequels. Two years after The Godfather redefined the mobster movie and swept the Oscars, Francis Ford Coppola was back, without Brando (a late flashback cameo was nixed when the actor demanded more money), but with a story to tell about Michael Corleone's Shakespearean descent from family man to cold-blooded, corrupt monster. The scope is broader, flashing back to the sepia-tinged rise of Vito Corleone (with some no-hoper named Robert De Niro doing his best Brando), and contrasting that with the bleak, blackhearted Michael, who may or may not be a metaphor for America and capitalism.
How does it stack up to the original?: The two films really should be seen in one sitting, and are majestic achievements in cinema. The first may have more purely memorable movie moments, but there's arguably nothing to rival the impact of the moment when the Machiavellian Michael has his brother Fredo killed. The surface of this water is darker, the depths chillier and less inviting, but they draw you in nonetheless.
Glaring error: The Godfather Part III. If only it had lived up to this example, it would be the greatest trilogy ever instead of the greatest twosome. - DirectorJames CameronStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerLinda HamiltonEdward FurlongA cyborg, identical to the one who failed to kill Sarah Connor, must now protect her ten year old son John from an even more advanced and powerful cyborg."Why is it so good?: The action, the pace, Sarah Connor's biceps, the clever early switcheroo where you think Arnie is the bad guy and Robert Patrick is the good guy - and the further considerations of what time travel means for the present are all effective. But it's the effects and the set pieces that really blew our collective socks off - and they continue to stand up even today."
How does it stack up to the original?: The first one, strange as it seems, was more horror movie than action movie, a sort of slasher film with sci-fi trimmings. The second sees Cameron pull the same trick he did with Aliens, switching genre, upping the ante and producing something entirely different (the bad guy's now the good guy!) while still feeling like part of the same franchise.
Glaring error: How does the T-1000 travel through time without a covering of organic tissue? As Arnie himself says, the T-1000 can't do chemicals or moving parts ("It doesn't verk that vay") so how does it time travel?! - DirectorJohn LasseterAsh BrannonLee UnkrichStarsTom HanksTim AllenJoan CusackWhen Woody is stolen by a toy collector, Buzz and his friends set out on a rescue mission to save Woody before he becomes a museum toy property with his roundup gang Jessie, Prospector, and Bullseye.Why is it so good?: Pixar's only sequel to date displays all the artistry and attention to storytelling that you'd expect from the studio, and bodes well for the upcoming Toy Story 3, Cars 2 and Monsters Inc. 2. The new characters - particularly Jessie - fit in beautifully with the established crew, there's that hilarious cinephile space-set opening, the themes are deepened and developed, and that Sarah McLachlan song will slay you every time.
How does it stack up to the original?: This is one of those films that provokes debate: is it as good as the original or actually better? Frankly, why bother trying to choose? They're both sublime pieces of filmmaking, both in terms of animation, character, voice work and scripting. Certainly the technology has taken another step forward for this one, but it's polishing an already-brilliant stone.
Glaring error: This was originally conceived as a straight-to-DVD sequel. Can you imagine something this sublime going straight to DVD? It'd be a travesty. - DirectorChristopher NolanStarsChristian BaleHeath LedgerAaron EckhartWhen the menace known as the Joker wreaks havoc and chaos on the people of Gotham, Batman must accept one of the greatest psychological and physical tests of his ability to fight injustice.
- DirectorIrvin KershnerStarsMark HamillHarrison FordCarrie FisherAfter the Rebel Alliance are overpowered by the Empire, Luke Skywalker begins his Jedi training with Yoda, while his friends are pursued across the galaxy by Darth Vader and bounty hunter Boba Fett.Why is it so good?:The best sequels open out the original - or turn it on its head and change the rules. By that measure, Empire is one of the greats. This is the point where Star Wars went from being popcorn fun to something mythical and able to inspire 30 years (and counting) of utter devotion. And it had the courage to give us that dark, unresolved ending - pretty bold for a summer blockbuster.
How does it stack up to the original?: Many prefer it to Star Wars; but that's a question of taste. What's certain is that it gives us more great lines, introduces some fantastic characters - say hello, Yoda and Lando - and signals that this Rebellion is serious with the showstopping battle on Hoth.
Glaring error: Irvin Kershner originally turned down the chance to direct, not relishing the job of making a sequel to the most popular film ever. Thankfully, he reconsidered. - DirectorPaul GreengrassStarsMatt DamonFranka PotenteJoan AllenWhen Jason Bourne is framed for a CIA operation gone awry, he is forced to resume his former life as a trained assassin to survive.Why's it so good?: Bringing in intellectual, politically-motivated British director Paul Greengrass, then most famous for his searing documentary work, to a nascent franchise was a gamble that paid off handsomely. Greengrass brought a sense of urgency and desperate, high-stakes reality to the Bourne franchise, with a frazzled and grieving Bourne on the run for reasons he doesn't entirely understand, but which have pissed him off no end.
How does it stack up to the original?: As you might expect from a movie that has the stones to kill off the first movie's love interest (Franka Potente), this is a darker, more intense affair, with the playful tone of the original excised in favour of bone-crunching car chases and a hero set to Po-Faced. It also had the balls to end, not with a bang, but a desperately emotional confession from Bourne to a girl whose parents died by his hand. This movie is directly responsible for the new direction
Glaring error: How do the bad guys track Bourne down to India? Why does Gabriel Mann go to a crime scene with Brian Cox and no back-up? - DirectorRichard LinklaterStarsEthan HawkeJulie DelpyVernon DobtcheffNine years after Jesse and Celine first met, they encounter each other again on the French leg of Jesse's book tour.
- DirectorRichard LesterStarsGene HackmanChristopher ReeveMargot KidderSuperman agrees to sacrifice his powers to start a relationship with Lois Lane, unaware that three Kryptonian criminals he inadvertently released are conquering Earth.Why's It So Good?: Superman worked beautifully as a world-setter, but suffered the inherent drawback of most Superman comics: the baddies weren't powerful enough to really give Superman a run for his money. This time, three bad-to-the-bone Kryptonians raise the stakes considerably, while Supes himself is depowered out of love for Lois.
How does it stack up to the original?: What you lose in Kryptonian flashbacks and bucolic Smallville scenery, you gain in not having a stupid "flying around the Earth backwards to turn back time" move. It also benefits from the stronger love story with Lois - although the cop-out memory-wiping kiss at the end is a disappointment.
Glaring error: The visible joins between the work of Richard Lester and Richard Donner are one thing. But what's with the cellophane S-plate Frisbee thing that Superman pulls out of his chest and throws at Zod? Does anyone have an explanation for that? - DirectorSam RaimiStarsBruce CampbellSarah BerryDan HicksAsh Williams, the lone survivor of an earlier onslaught of flesh-possessing spirits, holes up in a cabin with a group of strangers while the demons continue their attack.
- DirectorBryan SingerStarsPatrick StewartHugh JackmanHalle BerryWhen anti-mutant Colonel William Stryker kidnaps Professor X and attacks his school, the X-Men must ally with their archenemy Magneto to stop him."Why is it so good?: X2 manages the difficult task of splitting its time between all the members of the vast X-team, as well as finding room to make us care about the new additions (take a bow, Nightcrawler) and amp up both action and drama. In short, it's all things to all mutants, and that's an achievement indeed."
How does it stack up to the original?: X-Men had to establish a world, its mutants and society's attitude to them, as well as delivering an actual bad guy and his fiendish master plan. It had, as a result, very little time left for such fripperies as drama or action. X2 was able to hit the ground running, character-wise, leaving room for 69% more excitement. And fewer lines about amphibians getting struck by lightning.
Glaring error: Bryan Singer leaving the sequel in favour of Superman Returns, allowing Brett Ratner to deliver a lacklustre take on the Phoenix Saga that is so well set up here. - DirectorNicholas MeyerStarsWilliam ShatnerLeonard NimoyDeForest KelleyWith the assistance of the Enterprise crew, Admiral Kirk must stop an old nemesis, Khan Noonien Singh, from using the life-generating Genesis Device as the ultimate weapon.
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsMichael KeatonDanny DeVitoMichelle PfeifferWhile Batman deals with a deformed man calling himself the Penguin wreaking havoc across Gotham with the help of a cruel businessman, a female employee of the latter becomes the Catwoman with her own vendetta."Why is it so good?: Generally, multiple villains make a franchise weak, leaving too little for a coherent plot. In this case, however, the villains play together so well that it's hard to complain too much - and Danny DeVito's Penguin and Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman are sublime creations. Particularly Pfeiffer, who should be canonised for services to catsuits."
How does it stack up to the original?: Tim Burton's Batman has come in for a lot of abuse since Christopher Nolan took the Bat-reins, but both his Bat-films are perfectly legitimate takes on the Dark Knight, and if Burton lavishes more attention on his villains than his hero, well, we already know who Batman is. This one's probably on a par with the original Batman - and that's saying quite a bit.
Glaring error: Letting Joel Schumacher take over the reins for the next three films. Dear Zeus, what was Warner Bros thinking? Neon Gotham? Mr Freeze? Save us, Christopher Nolan, you're our only hope. - DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsHarrison FordKate CapshawKe Huy QuanIn 1935, Indiana Jones is tasked by Indian villagers with reclaiming a rock stolen from them by a secret cult beneath the catacombs of an ancient palace.
- DirectorDavid YatesStarsDaniel RadcliffeEmma WatsonRupert GrintWith their warning about Lord Voldemort's return scoffed at, Harry and Dumbledore are targeted by the Wizard authorities as an authoritarian bureaucrat slowly seizes power at Hogwarts."Why is it so good?: David Yates took over the directing reins for this fifth film, based on the longest - and, some would say, dullest - book in the series, and knocked it out of the park. Excising large swaths of not much, he cut it down to one of the leanest films and delivered a barnstorming last act in the Ministry of Magic, with the sort of magical duels we'd been waiting four-and-a-half films to see."
How does it stack up to the original?: The first two Potters are nowadays generally dismissed as the weakest of the series (although if you go watch them again they're not bad) but the fans argue about whether the third, fourth or fifth is the best to date (Goblet of Fire got a big boost from Twi-hards returning to watch Cedric Diggory). Still, this is unquestionably up there.
Glaring error: Some of the posters were photoshopped to give the (supposedly 15 year-old) Hermione bigger boobs. Wrong on so many levels! - DirectorJohn FrankenheimerStarsGene HackmanFernando ReyBernard Fresson"Popeye" Doyle travels to Marseille to find Alain Charnier, the drug smuggler who eluded him in New York.
- DirectorWes CravenStarsHeather LangenkampRobert EnglundJf DavisA demonic force has chosen Freddy Krueger as its portal to the real world. Can Heather Langenkamp play the part of Nancy one last time and trap the evil trying to enter our world?
- DirectorPaul GreengrassStarsMatt DamonEdgar RamírezJoan AllenJason Bourne dodges a ruthless C.I.A. official and his Agents from a new assassination program while searching for the origins of his life as a trained killer.Why's it so good?: The conclusion of the Bourne trilogy is a snare-drum-tight thriller that at last gives some closure to Matt Damon's amnesiac assassin as he embarks on a breakneck world tour. The biggest hit of the trilogy, it also established Paul Greengrass as arguably the premier thriller director currently plying his trade.
How does it stack up to the original?: This is a different beast from Liman's Identity, so let's compare it to its predecessor, Supremacy. And there it suffers slightly: Bourne's quest doesn't really differ that much in any of the = films. At the end of this movie he achieves some sort of closure, but nothing that really seems worth the hell he's put himself through. But this is a beautifully-made thriller, with the Waterloo sequence arguably the best sequence in the entire trilogy. We don't go into WH Smiths there now without looking over our shoulders at least three times.
Glaring error: The attempt to hint at a romantic past between Nicky (Julia Stiles) and Bourne doesn't sit well, particularly considering the interaction between the characters in the previous films. - DirectorGeorge A. RomeroStarsLori CardilleTerry AlexanderJoseph PilatoAs the world is overrun by zombies, a group of scientists and military personnel sheltering in an underground bunker in Florida must decide on how they should deal with the undead horde.
- DirectorRobert RodriguezStarsAntonio BanderasSalma HayekJoaquim de AlmeidaFormer musician and gunslinger El Mariachi arrives at a small Mexican border town after being away for a long time. His past quickly catches up with him and he soon gets entangled with the local drug kingpin Bucho and his gang.
- DirectorRichard MarquandStarsMark HamillHarrison FordCarrie FisherAfter rescuing Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt, the Rebel Alliance attempt to destroy the second Death Star, while Luke struggles to help Darth Vader back from the dark side.Why is it so good?: Jedi gets a bad rap, mostly because of the Ewoks, but the fanboys need to get over the teddy bears and accept that it's a damn good film. From the Jabba's palace opening onwards, it combines great space battles, lightsaber duelling, another Death Star, another Skywalker and a certain gold bikini to magical effect.
How does it stack up to the original?: Ay, here's the rub. While we entertain hopes of one day convincing fans that Jedi's really not that bad, there's very little chance that we'll convince anyone that it's better than Star Wars - the original, the one with extra Alec Guinness - or Empire Strikes Back - the bleak ending, Yoda, Hoth. Still, the bronze position in this company ain't bad.
Glaring error: Somehow Han Solo manages to change from a single- to a double-breasted shirt while he's frozen in carbonite. - DirectorSam RaimiStarsTobey MaguireKirsten DunstAlfred MolinaPeter Parker is beset with troubles in his failing personal life as he battles a former brilliant scientist named Otto Octavius.Why is it so good?: It's got high stakes, a wonderfully nuanced bad guy, a plot that moves like a train, a train that moves like a bullet and some super-fight scenes that are just wonderful. It also has Alfred Molina, always a win, and that wonderful trademark Raimi operation scene.
How does it stack up to the original?: It's probably better. Freed of the need to establish Spidey's origins, there's more time to spend on actual tangling with the big bad, and you can sense Raimi's growing confidence, now that he's proved he can be trusted with a big budget, in the quirky flourishes that make the mainstream action so much more compelling.
Glaring error: "I've always been standing in your doorway"? No she hasn't! She's been shagging his mate! - DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsMichael J. FoxChristopher LloydLea ThompsonAfter visiting 2015, Marty McFly must repeat his visit to 1955 to prevent disastrous changes to 1985...without interfering with his first trip.
- DirectorAlfonso CuarónStarsDaniel RadcliffeEmma WatsonRupert GrintHarry Potter, Ron and Hermione return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for their third year of study, where they delve into the mystery surrounding an escaped prisoner who poses a dangerous threat to the young wizard."Why is it so good?: Alfonso Cuaron took over from original director Christopher Columbus, and with the difficult task of world-building out of the way was able to take the story and run with it, making Potter feel like a real adventure story for the first time, and one taking place in somewhere bordering on the real world."
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsHarrison FordSean ConneryAlison DoodyIn 1938, after his father goes missing while pursuing the Holy Grail, Indiana Jones finds himself up against the Nazis again to stop them from obtaining its powers."Why is it so good?: It brings back perennial baddies-par-excellence the Nazis, and a familiar Judeo-Christian McGuffin - some would say the ultimate Judeo-Christian McGuffin, in fact. Bringing in Sean Connery as Indy's father introduces a lovely new dynamic to our favourite rogue archaeologist, and the set pieces are every bit as good as Raiders'."
How does it stack up to the original?: Not unfavourably, even though it's hard to come close to a film as brilliantly balanced as Raiders. Still, Crusade is probably the funniest of the three films, with great interaction between Connery and Ford, certainly the most quotable, and several times better than Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Glaring error: That whole bit where "But in Latin, Jehovah is spelled with an I" is true - only the word wasn't yet in use at the time of the First Crusades and came about centuries later with the King James Bible. Doh! - DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsPaul NewmanTom CruiseMary Elizabeth MastrantonioFast Eddie Felson teaches a cocky but immensely talented protégé the ropes of pool hustling, which in turn inspires him to make an unlikely comeback.
- DirectorBarry SonnenfeldStarsAnjelica HustonRaul JuliaChristopher LloydThe Addams Family try to rescue their beloved Uncle Fester from his gold-digging new love, a black widow named Debbie.
- DirectorClaude BerriStarsYves MontandEmmanuelle BéartDaniel AuteuilA beautiful but shy shepherdess plots vengeance on the men whose greedy conspiracy to acquire her father's land caused his death years earlier.
- DirectorGeorge A. RomeroStarsDavid EmgeKen ForeeScott H. ReinigerDuring an escalating zombie epidemic, two Philadelphia SWAT team members, a traffic reporter and his TV executive girlfriend seek refuge in a secluded shopping mall.
- DirectorRichard DonnerStarsMel GibsonDanny GloverJoe PesciRiggs and Murtaugh are on the trail of South African diplomats who are using their immunity to engage in criminal activities.Why is it so good?: Barely a day goes by in the Empire office without someone saying "Dip-lo-mat-ic-imm-un-it-y" in a bad Afrikaans accent: this is a film that has entered the public consciousness. There's action, conspiracy, a truly hissable bad guy, and the fact that it actually manages to surprise us by killing off Patsy Kensit.
How does it stack up to the original?: It doesn't have the element of surprise, nor the anarchic spirit, of the first film. And it's arguably here where the cutesy touches that would mar later instalments first creep in. But you've got to love the toilet set piece.
Glaring error: Diplomatic immunity ain't quite that all-encompassing. A diplomat who shoots a cop in cold blood would (at the very least) be recalled or (more likely) be handed over for trial by his country of origin. Even if that's apartheid-era South Africa. - DirectorWalter MurchStarsFairuza BalkNicol WilliamsonJean MarshDorothy, saved from a psychiatric experiment by a mysterious girl, is somehow called back to Oz when a vain witch and the Nome King destroy everything that makes the magical land beautiful.
- DirectorWes CravenStarsNeve CampbellCourteney CoxDavid ArquetteTwo years after the first series of murders, as Sidney acclimates to college life, someone donning the Ghostface costume begins a new string of killings.
- DirectorJoe DanteChuck JonesStarsZach GalliganPhoebe CatesHowie MandelThe Gremlins are back, and this time, they've taken control of a New York City media mogul's high-tech skyscraper.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsJeff GoldblumJulianne MoorePete PostlethwaiteA research team is sent to the Jurassic Park Site B island to study the dinosaurs there, while an InGen team approaches with another agenda.Why's it so good?: The set pieces are great - watch Julianne Moore's face as the glass that's the only thing between her and a thousand foot drop begins to slowly cra-a-a-aack - and this time there's only one irritating kid. Also, check out the cast: Goldblum's back, but he's joined by Moore, Vince Vaughn, Pete Postlethwaite and Richard "Toby in The West Wing" Schiff.
How does it stack up to the original?: Can any number of Postlethwaites compensate for the absence of the great Sam Neill? We think not. What with the annoying kid and the widely loathed (but such fun) city-set ending, it never quite manages the thrills of the original - and suffers from the lack of novelty with the majority of the 'saurs - but it's not as bad as they say.
Glaring error: Why do we even need a kid? The rest of the movie's darker and scarier - why not just leave the kids at home this time? - DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsMichael J. FoxChristopher LloydMary SteenburgenStranded in 1955, Marty McFly learns about the death of Doc Brown in 1885 and must travel back in time to save him. With no fuel readily available for the DeLorean, the two must figure how to escape the Old West before Emmett is murdered."Why is it so good?: After the twists and turns and dystopian pit stops of Part II, Zemeckis and Gale changed gears for Back to the Future Part III, setting virtually the entire thing in the Old West, while shoving Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) centre stage with a love interest to boot. The ingenious plotting of the first two films is largely absent, but this is a good old romp, an excuse for Zemeckis to try his hand at a Western."
Glaring error: What is up with those Oirish accents 'sported' by Lea Thompson and Fox, as Marty's own ancestor, Seamus? They're so bad we hear that Gerry Butler used them as his P.S. I Love You template
How does it stack up to the original?: "It's not as good, and may actually be the least impressive of the Back To The Future films. But the relationship between Doc Brown and Clara (Mary Steenburgen) is sweet, the nods to various Westerns are cute, and Thomas F. Wilson's Mad Dog Tannen is the trilogy's best villain." - DirectorJ.J. AbramsStarsTom CruiseMichelle MonaghanVing RhamesIMF agent Ethan Hunt comes into conflict with a dangerous and sadistic arms dealer who threatens his life and his fiancée in response.
- DirectorTommy Lee WallaceStarsTom AtkinsStacey NelkinDan O'HerlihyKids all over America want Silver Shamrock masks for Halloween. Doctor Daniel Challis seeks to uncover a plot by Silver Shamrock owner Conal Cochran.
- DirectorJohn McTiernanStarsBruce WillisJeremy IronsSamuel L. JacksonJohn McClane and a Harlem store owner are targeted by German terrorist Simon in New York City, where he plans to rob the Federal Reserve Building."Why is it so good?: Renny Harlin's efficient Die Harder was an enjoyable, larger-scale retread of the first movie. Die Hard With a Vengeance, though, saw original director John McTiernan come back and open out the claustrophobic, single-location franchise to a much bigger playground, New York City. Adding an antagonistic Samuel L. Jackson for Bruce Willis - whose John McClane is a slobbish wreck here, as opposed to the flawless superman of the first sequel - to bounce off pays dividends, while Jeremy Irons, having enormous fun with an outrageous accent, makes the hokey plot device of a vengeful long-lost brother actually work."
How does it stack up to the original?: The original is the greatest action movie of all time, so this can't beat it. But Vengeance is an enormously confident movie that balances ludicrous set pieces (McClane escaping from a tidal wave in the New York sewers) with first-class banter between its two stars.
Glaring error: The climax, reshot to replace an explosive finale that Fox bosses thought might draw unfavourable reaction in the wake of the Oklahoma bombing, doesn't really work. - DirectorJeremiah S. ChechikStarsChevy ChaseBeverly D'AngeloJuliette LewisThe Griswold family's plans for a big family Christmas predictably turn into a big disaster.Why is it so good?: The third part in any series is tricky and, usually, rubbish, and for comedies that rules applies quadrupley. Yet somehow the third outing of the manic family Grisworld was the best of the bunch, a modern Christmas comedy that doesn't make you want to stab your eyes out with the business end of a tree. More family-friendly than the previous two Vacations, this one sees Chevy Chase's Clark W. Griswold determined to give his family the hap-hap-happiest Christmas of their lives - and nothing will stand in his way. Not his idiot cousin, Eddie, not a slightly overcooked turkey, not an uncooperative family (including Juliette Lewis and Johnny Galecki as the kids) and certainly not a rogue squirrel on the loose?
How does it stack up to the original?: It's the best of the bunch, mixing surreal episodes (the sonic-boom sleigh ride) with top-class slapstick and the gentle humour of situations from a thousand family gatherings. It also features a classic performance by Chevy Chase, getting more unhinged as things go wrong, culminating in a rant that would give Christian Bale a run for his money.
Glaring error: It's never quite explained why the Griswold kids, Rusty (Galecki) and Audrey (Lewis) are younger than they are in European Vacation? - DirectorRichard LesterStarsMichael YorkRaquel WelchOliver ReedThe Four Musketeers defend the queen and her dressmaker from Cardinal Richelieu and Milady de Winter.
- DirectorChuck RussellStarsHeather LangenkampRobert EnglundCraig WassonA psychiatrist familiar with knife-wielding dream demon Freddy Krueger helps teens at a mental hospital battle the killer who is invading their dreams.
- DirectorGuillermo del ToroStarsWesley SnipesKris KristoffersonRon PerlmanBlade forms an uneasy alliance with the vampire council in order to combat the Reapers, who are feeding on vampires.
- DirectorJuan Carlos FresnadilloStarsJeremy RennerRose ByrneRobert CarlyleSix months after the rage virus was inflicted on the population of Great Britain, the US Army helps to secure a small area of London for the survivors to repopulate and start again. But not everything goes according to plan.
- DirectorGuillermo del ToroStarsRon PerlmanSelma BlairDoug JonesA prince of the mythical world starts a rebellion against humanity in order to rule the Earth. Hellboy and his team must fight to stop him from locating the all-powerful Golden Army.
- DirectorDavid ZuckerStarsLeslie NielsenPriscilla PresleyGeorge KennedyLieutenant Frank Drebin discovers that his ex-girlfriend's new beau is involved in a plot to kidnap a scientist who advocates solar energy.
- DirectorJonathan FrakesStarsPatrick StewartJonathan FrakesBrent SpinerThe Borg travel back in time intent on preventing Earth's first contact with an alien species. Captain Picard and his crew pursue them to ensure that Zefram Cochrane makes his maiden flight reaching warp speed.
- DirectorKen FinklemanStarsRobert HaysJulie HagertyLloyd BridgesA faulty computer causes a passenger space shuttle to head straight for the Sun. Can Ted Striker save the day and get the shuttle back on track - again?
- DirectorAndrew LauAlan MakStarsEdison ChenShawn YueAnthony Chau-Sang WongIn this prequel to Mou gaan dou (2002), Chan Wing Yan has just become an undercover cop in the triads while Lau Kin Ming joins the police force. Both the triads and the police find an enemy in a rival crime boss.
- DirectorPeter HewittStarsKeanu ReevesAlex WinterWilliam SadlerA tyrant from the future creates evil android doubles of Bill and Ted and sends them back to eliminate the originals.
- DirectorAndrew AdamsonKelly AsburyConrad VernonStarsMike MyersEddie MurphyCameron DiazShrek and Fiona travel to the Kingdom of Far Far Away, where Fiona's parents are King and Queen, to celebrate their marriage. When they arrive, they find they are not as welcome as they thought they would be."Why is it good?: Three words: Puss. In. Boots. He's adorable, deadly and he goes nuts for catnip. The interplay between Puss and Donkey has become the principal reason to watch the series ("The position of annoying talking sidekick has already been taken!"), while Shrek and Fiona are reduced to playing straight men in the foreground."
How does it stack up to the original?: It's not as good: there are far too many characters, the plot, similarly, is needlessly overcomplicated, and even Puss can't make up for the lack of a great villain (much as we enjoyed Everett's Charming). And while some of the endless movie referencing works well ("Be gooooood"), there's so much of it that it becomes exhausting.
Glarign error: The practice of inserting celebrity cameos from news personalities, and then redubbing with locals in other territories, started here and it's wildly annoying. Kate Thornton for Joan Rivers? Outrageous!